While the Demon football team got down to the business of practice Monday, they attracted a fair share of attention before Fall Sports Media Day on Thursday.
Back at Turpin Stadium for the second time in 14 hours was sports director Mike Dirmann of KSLA-TV in Shreveport. After doing interviews Sunday evening as the Demons devoured their jambalaya dinner, Dirmann was back to get some practice footage to use behind the interviews.
Coming in on his first day after a family vacation to Estes Park, Col., was KTBS-TV sports director Tim Fletcher, who cruised down I-49 from Shreveport as soon as his hour-long 8 a.m. radio call-in show wrapped up. Fletcher interviewed junior safety Wesley Eckles of Mansfield and senior receiver Adam Varnado of Big Sandy, Texas, along with head coach Scott Stoker.
He got some practice footage of the second group's early workouts, which wasn't the prime cut. All of the Demons' newcomers were among the 40-plus players in that 10 a.m. session, and the ball hit the ground more in the first half-hour than it did in the nearly two-hour practice preceding it.
Both KSLA and KTBS will be back Thursday for media day. Between now and then, they'll have plenty of coverage of Demon football. If you're not in the viewing area, you can visit their websites to watch.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Happy to be here
The Demon football team checked in Sunday afternoon to start preseason practices and every player was obviously happy to be here. The Northwestern players and coaches hit the field for the first time at 8:10 Monday morning (10 a.m. for the newcomers).
The energy around the George Doherty Football Offices was palpable. Eyes were sparkling and there seemed to be a quiet sense of determination to validate all the work in the past 255 days, since the season-ending 31-12 win over Stephen F. Austin.
After the players heard from athletics director Greg Burke and other administrators, and received marching orders from venerable head athletic trainer Ed Evans, it was time for head coach Scott Stoker to set a tone.
"Our goal for the next three weeks in August is to see who's mentally and physically ready to play for 60 minutes, to help us win," he said.
Stoker told his players one primary focus will be special teams improvement. He stressed the new rule moving the kickoff back to the 30 yard line will "make field position very, very critical" and also reminded the players about the new 40-second play clock, which will shave away a few plays each week and will speed the tempo of the game.
The players enjoyed Stoker's declaration that he knows it's going to be hot in preseason camp.
"Guys, this is Louisiana and it's August. I know it's hot. There's no point in saying it out loud. I'm the guy that has to put SPF 50-plus on my shiny head every time we go out, so I don't need anybody pointing out the obvious," he said, to the chuckles of his players.
Shortly after he wrapped up his remarks, the team was treated to a jambalaya dinner prepared by Troy Unbehagen and served by him, Joe Bienvenu and Jack "Britt" Brittain Jr., the Demon Sports Network sideline reporter and four-year letterwinner (1974-78) at wide receiver.
KSLA-TV sports director Mike Dirmann was on hand and interviewed Stoker, senior quarterback Drew Branch, senior offensive lineman Tim Henderson, junior cornerback Kasey Brown, sophomore running back Jeremy Jefferson and junior receiver Chad Bell.
Dirmann will be back about 9:15 Monday morning to get some practice footage, and he'll return again Thursday for Fall Sports Media Day.
The energy around the George Doherty Football Offices was palpable. Eyes were sparkling and there seemed to be a quiet sense of determination to validate all the work in the past 255 days, since the season-ending 31-12 win over Stephen F. Austin.
After the players heard from athletics director Greg Burke and other administrators, and received marching orders from venerable head athletic trainer Ed Evans, it was time for head coach Scott Stoker to set a tone.
"Our goal for the next three weeks in August is to see who's mentally and physically ready to play for 60 minutes, to help us win," he said.
Stoker told his players one primary focus will be special teams improvement. He stressed the new rule moving the kickoff back to the 30 yard line will "make field position very, very critical" and also reminded the players about the new 40-second play clock, which will shave away a few plays each week and will speed the tempo of the game.
The players enjoyed Stoker's declaration that he knows it's going to be hot in preseason camp.
"Guys, this is Louisiana and it's August. I know it's hot. There's no point in saying it out loud. I'm the guy that has to put SPF 50-plus on my shiny head every time we go out, so I don't need anybody pointing out the obvious," he said, to the chuckles of his players.
Shortly after he wrapped up his remarks, the team was treated to a jambalaya dinner prepared by Troy Unbehagen and served by him, Joe Bienvenu and Jack "Britt" Brittain Jr., the Demon Sports Network sideline reporter and four-year letterwinner (1974-78) at wide receiver.
KSLA-TV sports director Mike Dirmann was on hand and interviewed Stoker, senior quarterback Drew Branch, senior offensive lineman Tim Henderson, junior cornerback Kasey Brown, sophomore running back Jeremy Jefferson and junior receiver Chad Bell.
Dirmann will be back about 9:15 Monday morning to get some practice footage, and he'll return again Thursday for Fall Sports Media Day.
Friday, August 01, 2008
Demon Tigers
Three good reasons for NSU Demons to root for the LSU Tigers this fall:
Brad Peveto, Darren Drago and Derrick LeBlanc.
Peveto, now using his full name "Bradley Dale" as he's been called much of his life, is in his first year as the Tigers' co-defensive coordinator. He has been safeties coach and special teams coach the last two years. He was seen planting a big kiss on the cheek of "The Hat," head coach Les Miles, in the final moments of the SEC Championship game last December -- or was it the National Championship game in January?
Drago is in his first year on the football staff after being at Stephen F. Austin the last couple of years. He is back home, as a Baton Rouge native and Redemptorist HS grad.
LeBlanc is in his first year as an assistant strength coach after having moved down near his hometown of Breaux Bridge from Henderson State, where he was defensive line coach.
Brad Peveto, Darren Drago and Derrick LeBlanc.
Peveto, now using his full name "Bradley Dale" as he's been called much of his life, is in his first year as the Tigers' co-defensive coordinator. He has been safeties coach and special teams coach the last two years. He was seen planting a big kiss on the cheek of "The Hat," head coach Les Miles, in the final moments of the SEC Championship game last December -- or was it the National Championship game in January?
Drago is in his first year on the football staff after being at Stephen F. Austin the last couple of years. He is back home, as a Baton Rouge native and Redemptorist HS grad.
LeBlanc is in his first year as an assistant strength coach after having moved down near his hometown of Breaux Bridge from Henderson State, where he was defensive line coach.
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Unbeaten on the beach
Lady Demon volleyball coaches Brittany Uffelman and Dan Nowalk have proven quite the force this summer on the Galveston beaches.
They went 10-0 and won yet another tournament over the last weekend on the Gulf. Nowalk has been ranked as the No. 1 player in his age group in Texas. Not bad for a Pittsburgh native!
Along with the obvious recreational fun, playing in the beach tournaments in Galveston and Houston this summer has greatly expanded the Lady Demons' recruiting contacts. A lot of prep and AAU coaches line up in the sand all summer long.
Beach volleyball will have a more direct connection to the NSU program next spring. The Southland Conference has voted to hold its spring seasons outside on sand courts, not in the gym as has been the practice. These matches and tournaments are considered offseason scrimmages and the seniors from the fall season can't play, but they provide important experience for younger players to develop in roles they will fill in the following season.
Uffelman is considering sites for the NSU sand court.
They went 10-0 and won yet another tournament over the last weekend on the Gulf. Nowalk has been ranked as the No. 1 player in his age group in Texas. Not bad for a Pittsburgh native!
Along with the obvious recreational fun, playing in the beach tournaments in Galveston and Houston this summer has greatly expanded the Lady Demons' recruiting contacts. A lot of prep and AAU coaches line up in the sand all summer long.
Beach volleyball will have a more direct connection to the NSU program next spring. The Southland Conference has voted to hold its spring seasons outside on sand courts, not in the gym as has been the practice. These matches and tournaments are considered offseason scrimmages and the seniors from the fall season can't play, but they provide important experience for younger players to develop in roles they will fill in the following season.
Uffelman is considering sites for the NSU sand court.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Updates on Bell(s)
A couple of weeks ago, just a few minutes apart, I had reason to send out updates on two Demon athletic standouts - NFL rookie Demetrius Bell and two-time USA track and field Olympian Kenta Bell.
Here we go again.
Kenta has begun his journey to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games which debut 8-8-08 ... as if you haven't watched NBC television in the past year. But NBC's coverage is so extensive there seems to be great hope that we could actually see Kenta jump in the men's triple jump in Beijing, which is more than we got to see from Eugene, Oreg., at the USA Olympic Trials.
For now, Kenta is in Monoco, for a Grand Prix event Tuesday, and will head toward Beijing afterwards. I had a fascinating 45-minute conversation with our hero on Friday morning. We will be posting a link to his blog, his USA Track and Field bio and coverage of the Olympics on this website this week, as well as a way to send him good luck messages.
As to the younger Bell (no relation, BTW), he blocked a field goal today in the Buffalo Bills preseason camp. That's a role I am not surprised to see him taking on -- after all, he blocked a lot of shots in his basketball career with the Demons.
It sounds as though, reading the Bills' excellent website, that the organization realizes what a great opportunity it has to develop a relatively raw but very reliable and potential rich prospect. There's not the pressure to be in the lineup immediately. They have already seen that he works hard and learns fast and has a good skill level.
Hopefully we'll keep ringing in good news about both Bells in the important month of August!
Doug Ireland, SID
Here we go again.
Kenta has begun his journey to Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Games which debut 8-8-08 ... as if you haven't watched NBC television in the past year. But NBC's coverage is so extensive there seems to be great hope that we could actually see Kenta jump in the men's triple jump in Beijing, which is more than we got to see from Eugene, Oreg., at the USA Olympic Trials.
For now, Kenta is in Monoco, for a Grand Prix event Tuesday, and will head toward Beijing afterwards. I had a fascinating 45-minute conversation with our hero on Friday morning. We will be posting a link to his blog, his USA Track and Field bio and coverage of the Olympics on this website this week, as well as a way to send him good luck messages.
As to the younger Bell (no relation, BTW), he blocked a field goal today in the Buffalo Bills preseason camp. That's a role I am not surprised to see him taking on -- after all, he blocked a lot of shots in his basketball career with the Demons.
It sounds as though, reading the Bills' excellent website, that the organization realizes what a great opportunity it has to develop a relatively raw but very reliable and potential rich prospect. There's not the pressure to be in the lineup immediately. They have already seen that he works hard and learns fast and has a good skill level.
Hopefully we'll keep ringing in good news about both Bells in the important month of August!
Doug Ireland, SID
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